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Valerie Fox

Publications and source records attributed to Valerie Fox.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

First person account: schizophrenia and motherhood.

With this article I want to give insight into what having children and dealing with schizophrenia is like. I go from a young woman wanting to experience motherhood, to being diagnosed with schizophrenia, to marrying and having two children. It is not easy dealing with schizophrenia and mothering, but the rewards are wonderful. In my case, I had one very serious schizophrenia episode, and I became homeless and my children went to live with their father. I eventually got better and reunited with my children, but our lives had changed. In this article I describe the adjustments we all had to make, the heartaches, the struggles, and finally the love that has prevailed. Today, especially with the newer medications, more persons suffering with mental illness are marrying, and the possibility of starting families is very real. Perhaps a young person with a diagnosis of mental illness will read my factual account, and it will help her to make a decision that will change the rest of her life. In closing the article, I raise the question, "If I had to do it over again, would I?" I also share the reason for my decision.

Female↗
PubMed2004

Cresting.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2004

"Medication".

I have written this article because medication is a very important part of dealing with mental illness. I have not read other articles on this subject and have wanted to write about it for at least a year. Perhaps a better title would have been "Over-Medication." My concern with medications is that high doses, sometimes with more than one antipsychotic medication plus other pills, are prescribed. I wanted to raise consciousness about the ability to function when a person is so heavily medicated. In my journey of mental illness, on two occasions I was heavily medicated and found it very difficult to stay awake--let alone function. Another area touched on is the new concept of patient/therapist partnership. Therapeutic relationships in the past had been more a case of the therapist knew what was best. Today therapeutic relationships, I believe, must be partnerships, especially in the area of medication. Patients know when they feel poorly on a medication. Are their feelings listened to?

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Therapeutic alliance.

I have been very fortunate in my journey of mental illness. I respond well to medication, but I don't think that is the complete answer to living successfully with serious, persistent mental illness. I believe a person's environment is also of utmost importance, enabling the person suffering with mental illness to continually grow in life. I found early in my struggle with mental illness a psychiatrist with whom I have always had a very good rapport. Until recently I didn't know that what I have with this psychiatrist is professionally known as a therapeutic alliance. Over the years, when I need someone to talk over anything that is troubling to me, I seek my psychiatrist. A therapeutic alliance is non-judgmental; it is nourishing; and finally it is a relationship of complete trust. Perhaps persons reading this article who have never experienced this alliance will seek it. I believe it can make an insecure person secure; a frightened person less frightened; and allow a person to continue the journey of mental health with a sense of belief in oneself.

Female↗
PubMed2002

I am a mental health professional; my credential: life experience.

History is in the making in the mental health movement, with persons who live with a mental illness, are stable, and work in the mental health field as professionals (known as Consumer Providers). It is a new concept; and as with anything new, there is some resistance, some doubt about the wisdom of such a concept. With this article, I want to educate those who read it and hopefully gain enthusiasm for the growth of the Consumer Provider movement. I have lived with mental illness for many years and have only received mental health services from traditional mental health professionals; there were no Consumer Providers when I was ill. I was pleased with my services. However, I believe very strongly in the Consumer Provider movement because the same concept has been ongoing in Alcoholics Anonymous with great success. In AA settings, life-experience professionals have worked side by side with traditionally educated professionals to counsel persons with substance abuse problems. I would like to see Consumer Providers be included in all areas of mental health treatment. Today I know of Consumer Providers on PACT teams, ICMS teams, at Drop-in Centers, and on some Warm Lines. My vision is to see Consumer Providers work throughout the mental health system, including crisis teams, inpatient hospital settings, residential settings, and outpatient programs.

Community Participation↗